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Subject: Travel Air 6000
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_Air_6000
The Travel Air 6000 (later known as the Curtiss-Wright 6B when Travel Air was
purchased by Curtiss-Wright) was a six-seat utility aircraft manufactured in the
United States in the late 1920s.
It was developed as a luxury version of the Travel Air 5000 marketed principally
as an executive aircraft, although its size proved popular with regional
airlines, which purchased most of the roughly 150 machines built.
The 6000 was a high-wing braced monoplane with a fuselage constructed of steel
tube and covered in fabric. In keeping with its intended luxury market, the
fully enclosed cabin was insulated and soundproofed, and included wind-down
windows. The basic model was priced at $12,000, but numerous options were
offered that could nearly double that price; actor Wallace Beery's aircraft cost
him $20,000 and was the most expensive Model 6000 built.
Role
Civil utility aircraft
Manufacturer
Travel Air, Curtiss-Wright
Designer
Herbert Rawdon
First flight
April 15, 1928
Number built
ca. 150
Airline operation
6000s were operated in 1928 by National Air Transport on their US mail and
passenger routes from Chicago to New York, Chicago to Dallas and Chicago to
Kansas City.
Business Aircraft
Frame number 6B-2012 was delivered to Harry Ogg of Newton, Iowa on August 20,
1929, who used it as a mobile office and technology demonstrator for his
Automatic Washing Machine Company, which eventually morphed into Maytag
Corporation. The aircraft was significant in that it included space for a
secretary and stenography machine, as well as hook ups for up to 4 washing
machines for demonstration purposes. The aircraft was nicknamed "Smiling Thru"
and carried the registration of NC677K.
Foreign service
Two Travel Air 6000 were purchased by the Paraguayan government during the Chaco
War (1932-1935) for the Transport Squadron of its Air Arm. These aircraft
belonged to TAT with the registrations NC624K (c/n 6B-2011) and NC9815 (c/n
6B-1029); They received the military serials T-2 and T-5 (later re-serialled as
T-9). The aircraft were intensively used during the conflict as air ambulances.
They both survived the war and continued flying in the Air Arm. In 1945, they
Nacional (LATN) and received the civil registrations ZP-SEC and ZP-SED. They
were withdrawn from use in 1947.
Movie Appearance
A Travel Air 6000 was a "star" in the Howard Hawks 1939 film Only Angels Have
Wings which was a fictional depiction of the early mail service in South America
whose early days mirrored the aircraft and issues of US civilian mail service.
A Travel Air 6000 also appeared in the 1959 movie, "Edge of Eternity".
Registration N377M is still active and it is owned by a corporation in Wyoming.
A Travel Air 6000 (Curtis-Wright 6-B) appeared in and performed stunts in the
1939 Laurel & Hardy classic movie, The Flying Deuces.
Variants
Model 6000 - six seat version, powered by a 220 hp (164 kW) Wright J-5 engine
Model 6000A (or A-6000, or A-6000-A) - version powered by 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt
& Whitney Wasp engine
Model SA-6000A - floatplane version of the Model 6000A
Model 6000B (or B-6000, later 6B) - version powered by 300 hp (224 kW)Wright
J-6-9 radial engine.
Model S-6000-B - floatplane version of the Model 6000B
Model 6B - 1931 and up Curtiss Wright production. Four built in Wichita, Four
Built in San Diego.
Specifications (6000B)
General characteristics
Crew: One pilot
Capacity: 5 passengers
Length: 30 ft 10 in (9.40 m)
Wingspan: 48 ft 7 in (14.81 m)
Wing area: 282 ft2 (26.2 m2)
Empty weight: 2,608 lb (1,183 kg)
Gross weight: 4,230 lb (1,919 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: 130 mph (209 km/h)
Range: 550 miles (885 km)
Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,880 m)
Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)
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